Method of electric welding



Feb.' 1.o. 92s? v AJC. TAYLOR METHOD OF ELECTRlC WELDING f Filed Nov. 28, 1921 (I ,MW mm Smog;

Patented Feb. 10, 1925,.

UNITED STATES amnn'rrs o. TAYLOR, or WARREN, omo.

METHOD F ELECTRIC WELDING.

Application led November 28, 1921. Serial No; 518,204.

To all whom z't may concer/n.'

Be it known that I, ALnER'rrs C. TAYLOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Warren, in the county of Trumbull and l State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Method of Electric Welding. of which the following is a specification.

The resent method is of especial utility in uniting metal valvev heads to metal stems to provide a substantially solid andintegral valve for use in an internal combustion engine, the general Object being to produce welds of great area and strength between the parts and to cheapen the cost of construction -of such Ivalves.

Fig. 1 is a side view and section of a valve head and stem sleeved together and held and engaged by' dies and electrodes and as appears before applying the current and pressure. Fig. 2 -is a slde elevation of aA valve head with its stem partially upset. Fig. 3`is a side view of an electrode made in several parts and with which my improved method may be practiced.

In manufacturing valves constructed 'of separate heads and stems it has heretofore been a common practice to form screw threads in the two parts and to screw the head upon the stem before placing them in a, welding machine embodying a die. In applying pressure through the upper electrode the current ltravels through the upper end. of the stem and the head to the die or holder. With this old method it is necessary to have the die vtit the fillet of the head to a depth of at least b/3 to 1/2 of an inch, according to the size of the valve, in Order to secure contact of sufficient. area to carry' the current necessary to makerthe weld;otherwise if the-area of this contact was too small the metal would melt at this point and destroy the head. Screw threading is resorted to for two reasons, (1st.) the stem `being steel and of higher meltmg point and harder to heat; the thin portion of the Steel threads extending into the cast iron are brought to a welding temperature more readily by absorbing heat from the cast iron 5 which heats morerapidly than the steel because it is a poorer conductor of electricity, and secondly the screw threads serve' to hold the head in Hrm contact with the lower dieV when starting to make the weld. The stem extends 1/8 inch or more beyond the head to provide metal for upsetting and filling any loose spaces in the threads that may exist, and to make a perfect weld, the parts or particles of molten metal must be forced together. In practice the screwthreads serve an advantage in the two instances above mentioned. but their presence is adisadvantage in the upsetting. operation, and they also weaken the stem. Another objection to this method is that the weld i takes place in the upper partof the head and does not weld much more than-one-half way through. generally leaving the unwelded portion of the head loose on the stem.

In another method known to me and used 7 to some extent, the valve is knurled or screw-threaded and then pressed into a head having a plain drilled hole, the Object being to form projectionson the steel stem to increase the resistance of the steel and to promote heating of the stem, and also pro vide a place for the molten metal to iow and strengthen the weld. In this case an insulated stop-is used atthe lower end o'f the stem to prevent the stem from being 90 pushed out of the head when upsetting the stem and completing the weld. the current traveling through the head. The objections to this method are `Apractically the same as the first mentioned method, although the stem-is more readily upset. However, the stem does not upset the full thickness of the head as it only heats a little over half way through. Without the knurls or screwthreads the stems do not become hot enough 0 welding only at the extreme top edges, the cast iron owing aroundthe stem but not adhering to it.

With my improved, method I am able to overcomel all of the objectional features 5 of the previously described methods, and also reduce the cost of manufacture. Thus, in practicing my method I first drill a. lain round hole in the alloy or cast iron eed amduplainmawhichmglyau l the hole and projects beyond the upper face of the head substantially as shown in Fig. 1, which is a view showing alcros'ssection of a divided electrode 4 tofpermit clamping of stem 3 firmly with 'good elec-- trical contact over a substantial distance of its length and with ample clamping effect to prevent the stem from pushing out of the head when starting to make the Weld. The

curved arrows 6,-0, indicate the dividedpath of the current, one part travelling through the cast iron and stem, and the 'other part passing directly through the steelrstem from one electrode to the other. -I also provide an annular recess 5 in the meeting faces of clamping electrode 4 to promoteV the sepa-V ration of the electric current into two paths and to eliect heating of the stem to a weld- I 'ing tempera-ture at the extreme lower edge of the head. Recess 5 may befmade narf rower or wideraccording to the size of the stem and head being welded. and 'without .this space or recess 5 the stemwould not Y get hot enough at the extreme lower edge of the headlto make a weld as the electrode would absorb the heat from the stem at this point.

In making the weldthe stem is placed in the head with the end extending a distance of about one-half the diameter of thestem; the assembled parts are then placed rin the clamping electrode 4 of thewelding machineV and the stem clamped firmly in place. The upper electrode 6 is then brought into contact with the upper end of stem 3 under considerable pressure, and a large volume of current of low pressure is then passed through the stem which heats instantly. in-

asmuch as the head 2 is not in contact with the electrode 4 at this time. thus allowing Y the pressure of the upper electrode to upset the stem the'iull length orvdepth` of the head and at the same time forming a 4flattened head on `the stem as shown in Fig. 2.

In this proceeding valve head 2 is pressed.

firmly against the contact surface 7 of electrode 4. and valve head 2 also h as a perfect electrical contact with the Stemat all points", the current now traveling in both paths as lndicatedvby arrows gb, "c, until the desired welding temperature hasy been reached.

' esl During the heating operation the pressure .of the upper electrode is steadily increased' to force the molten monocules of metal together and also prevent 'gas pockets; from forming in the cast-iron head.

In practicing my method. I preter to usev plain stems. but if this method is practiced with threaded or knurled stems I will get practically the same results, excepting that gas pockets mightbe more apt to form in the cast-iron surrounding the stem.

In Fig. 3, I show a modificatiomconsisting of a lower electrode made in several separate parts, the head contact being a solidblock- 8 lwith a hole made 'to fit the shape of the lower portion of the head, and the stem con` tact and gripping members 9 and l0 being'l divisional parts meeting on thencenter line'V of stem and spaced apart from the headj" seating block 8. In use the block 'or elecltrede 8 and members 9 and l0 are all connected-to the same terminal of the? transformer or source of current, the space 5 being equivalent to space 5 in Fig, 1'.'A

. Summarizing the advantages of my method. in using a plain stem 'I save the .ex-

pense of screwthreadingythe, stem at. the

Weld is incpeascd in size and notwea-kened as compared 'with a screw-threaded stem; Iealso save the expense of screw-threading or tapping lthe heads; the weld extends the entire jlength or depth of the head without the use of any morecurrent as compared with forner practlces: and ln case any part 1s not completely welded the upsetting of the stem insures a. perfect fit at all points.

What I claim. is-

I1.. A method 'of electrically welding a l.

valve head and stem together. consisting in sleeving the stem within the head and electrically heating and thickening and shortening the -valve stem the engaging portion of the stem with the full length of` the head and then welding the complete upset and -engaging portions of said stem to said head.

2. A method of uniting a. valve head and stem together. `consisting in sleeving .the stem within the hea-d and slightly beyond the upper face thereof, in placing the as sembled parts between welding electrodes and passing the main volumeof an electric welding current from one electrode to the other first through the stem and then through both the steml and head until the Adesired Welding temperature has been reached. i

4. IA method of electrically'welding a castiron valve head and asteel stem together, consisting inpassing an electric welding current initially ,through the stem. and then .through the head and stem on divided paths,

and weld the head thereto.

5. Means for welding a separate valve head toa stem. comprising 'a divided welding electrode for holding the stem and head,

and -i'n applying pressure to upset the stem said stem contact faces -being separated a` predetermined distance from the head con-l tact -faces to promote heating of the stem. 6. Means for weldmg -a separate valve head to a stem,.comprising a divided eleotrode having a Contact face foij engaging the lower side of a valve houd and gripping Conta'ct faces Yfor conducting current und holding the stem in upsetting operations.

T. Means for welding a separate cast iron valve head upon a steel stem, comprising an electric Welding electrode, having @seating portion for the valvey head and clamping portions for `he stem spaced apart from l@ said seating portion.

In testimony whereof afiix my signa,- ture n presence of two Witnesses.

- ALBERTIS "C, TAYLOR. Witnesses Emv. M. RAY, MARGARET CAMPBELL 

